Where is all the ammo?

I just finished an article in the May 6th edition of Gun Digest entitled "Where Is All The Ammo?". They conclude after many industry interviews that it will be at least 1 and perhaps 2 years before things begin to improve on dealer shelves. Especially for .223/5.56, 9mm and AR platform guns. I speculate that things will be even worse in gun hostile states like California and New York. Best learn to buy on the internet while it's still legal, me thinketh.

If you read that article you will see that the manufacturers interviewed state that they have increased their production and are still shipping that extra ammo to all the distribution guys as fast as they can make it. You black helicopter/conspiracy dudes better take a deep breath...(sorry)

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Midwest

April 19, 2013, 12:47 PM

Where is all the ammo?

On the Walmart truck ...all of 3 boxes of 9mm, a box of .45 acp and 6 boxes of some odd rifle calibers that no one uses...wait in line for two hours until after they finish unloading the truck....

bikerdoc

April 19, 2013, 12:53 PM

LGS has ammo in all calibers, expensive but available.

12many

April 19, 2013, 02:08 PM

I recall during the recent 'wars' the military buying and using huge ammounts of ammo but it seemed like there was still ammo around.

Are we civilians buying more now than the military did during the iraq/afgan wars?

Bad Andy

April 19, 2013, 02:15 PM

Military ammo is manufactured at Army Ammo Depots like Lake City, not by commercial manufacturers.

Ryanxia

April 19, 2013, 02:22 PM

Ammo? They don't make that stuff anymore. Best work on becoming an expert crossbow shooter like me :)

(like me working on it not like me being the expert)

Vector

April 19, 2013, 03:14 PM

If you read that article you will see that the manufacturers interviewed state that they have increased their production and are still shipping that extra ammo to all the distribution guys as fast as they can make it. You black helicopter/conspiracy dudes better take a deep breath...(sorry)

I am not sure I buy that explanation and I am no tinfoil hat guy.

By now, shortages should have subsided because most people do not buy ammo like they would perishable goods such as milk. So it is not like a steady amount is bought weekly by Joe Q.
Yet they claim to have increased production and we still see empty shelves :confused:

Sure gun shops and ranges need a regular supply, as does LE and the military. However the limited supplies have increased prices dramatically which has also reduce demand. I know there is no way I'm paying panic prices, so I among many others have reduced our consumption. Regardless, unless much of the ammo is going to TSA, FEMA, DHS, etc., it makes no sense the supply has not improved.

`

Alizard

April 19, 2013, 03:16 PM

Are we civilians buying more now than the military did during the iraq/afgan wars?There is a massive blind panic still going for both guns and ammo because of the insane fear being pandered by some political groups for their own purposes. Here are the recent lies being peddled:

1) OBAMA is going to repeal the 2A by signing a UN treaty and we will have no guns!

Complete lie, impossible, illegal even to try to do.

2) OBAMA is going to bypass the 2A by issuing an executive order to outlaw guns!

Again, complete lie. Impossible and illegal, never happened.

3) OBAMA is going to reinstate the AWB!

He might like to but he knows that there isn't anywhere near enough votes in congress to do it.

All the hysteria has people hoarding ammo and that leaves none to be purchased by shooters. It will eventually resettle on a new equilibrium, but I can GUARANTEE the prices will never come back down.

Alizard

April 19, 2013, 03:20 PM

By now, shortages should have subsided because most people do not buy ammo like they would perishable goods such as milk. So it is not like a steady amount is bought weekly by Joe Q.
Yet they claim to have increased production and we still see empty shelves Buyer's behavior has completely changed. Most people would buy ammo when they wanted to shoot and so consumption pretty much was predictable. Now the panic has the typical "buy as you go" consumer trying to buy many thousands of rounds to build up a stock to "feel secure". This means demand has increased exponentially. Hoarders and gougers have also jumped in to buy ammo and resell it at very high prices. net result, no ammo on shelves.

BaltimoreBoy

April 19, 2013, 03:30 PM

I read once upon a time that a 'gasoline' shortage can be caused at any time. The average car is supposed to have a little less than half a tank on board. If people get scared and everybody decides to top off right NOW, you get lines and shortages.

At least in that sense, the ammo situation is luckier, since people typically don't have to shoot.

Those who are most convinced that govco will interfere long term in the ammo market should be conserving rather than shooting it.

Vector

April 19, 2013, 03:36 PM

There is a massive blind panic still going for both guns and ammo because of the insane fear being pandered by some political groups for their own purposes. Here are the recent lies being peddled:

I hope you are not implying the NRA, as they have been vindicated since the election on how Obama & Co would be changing their benevolent tune once re-elected.

BTW - A few things on the list are possible, even if not likely. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts to the naysayers who would never have thought all this anti-2A rhetoric by the WH would have spurred so many states to adopt such restrictive and useless laws because of Obama siren's call.

Lennyjoe

April 19, 2013, 03:50 PM

I'd say its supply and demand. Right now, more new shooters are coming on board due to worries of AWB and those that have guns are stocking up on ammo just because. Add both of them together and you get decreased stock.

I'm guessing that after the voting results from Wednesday in the Senate, things should calm down a bit. Lets hope so anyway.

bergmen

April 19, 2013, 04:06 PM

I'd say its supply and demand. Right now, more new shooters are coming on board due to worries of AWB and those that have guns are stocking up on ammo just because. Add both of them together and you get decreased stock.

I'm guessing that after the voting results from Wednesday in the Senate, things should calm down a bit. Lets hope so anyway.

I think this is a component that is not entered into the ammo shortage issue very often.

Gun sales have been through the roof since last November and there have been many, many new shooters that have entered the realm. I am training more people now than ever, many who have never touched a gun but are looking to buy one (once they get back on the shelves).

We are having a heck of a time running the monthly CCW class at our local range since nobody has any ammo to qualify. A good percentage of each class are first timers that have just purchased their first gun and want to get a license to carry. It's a tough situation.

I go in for renewal on May 4 and I'll be bringing extra ammo in popular calibers in case there are those that don't have enough (or have none).

Dan

Gary O

April 19, 2013, 04:24 PM

Guys: calm down and start surfing the net if you want to keep shooting until this passes. Lots of new "experts" now I see. I paid about $.60 a round for 5.56 the last couple of days. Scored 400 rounds or so with little effort. I will stay after it; good luck to you folks who try...

mrvco

April 19, 2013, 04:26 PM

"Where Is All The Ammo?"

In your neighbor's guest bedroom :neener:

Nonetheless... a few months ago you couldn't buy ammo at any price, but now finding ammo isn't the problem, it's finding ammo at a price you are comfortable paying and shooting at the range. Prices will come down as inventory builds and stabilizes.

And don't use Walmart as the bellwether, they continue to price their ammo below the intersection of the supply and demand curves which just feeds the paranoia and supplies the gun-show resellers (e.g. The Vicious Cycle: Gun Show Guy and his family of 14 camps at Walmart and buys all the ammo every time it is restocked, Joe Blow shows up at Walmart during his lunch break and sees that they have no ammo, Joe Blow panics and goes to the gun show and pays stupid money for Gun Show Guy's Walmart ammo... rinse and repeat ad infinium).

AABEN

April 19, 2013, 04:39 PM

H L S has bought it all up!

we are not amused

April 19, 2013, 06:03 PM

Let's be honest about it. It is our fault!

Too many yahoo's out there buying up ammunition they don't even have guns for.

And no. It is not all going to gun shows to be resold at a huge profit, or there would be more ammo at the gun shows. Most of it is going into closets and the basement, hording it against some day which will never come.

Look around on the internet, and you will find pictures of closets full of the stuff, and their owners bragging about how much they are hording. I imagine there are quite a few on this forum who have bought up every thing in sight, whether they need it or not.

Midwest

April 19, 2013, 06:11 PM

There is yet another story in the news about the ammo shortage. More specifically the Miami area. Maybe some areas of the country will be more stocked than other areas because of a less demand?

I see reports here on THR that the ammo panic/shortage is starting to ease up, yet we have stories like these below. The owner of the store attributes the recent event in Boston is creating more panic and runs on ammo.

Jeff Dillard who runs National Armory in Pompano says it’s the worst he’s ever seen.“I have never seen ammo so impossible to get,” said Dillard. “Because of the terrorist attacks and the gun control legislation people are getting in more of a panic situation,” Dillard said.

TheSaint

April 19, 2013, 06:12 PM

I was at Walmart at 6:00am this morning. They received about 30 boxes of 223, 10 boxes of .40, about 50 boxes of 5.56, 10 boxes of 9mm, 5 boxes of 22LR and a few other less common rounds. There is ammo out there to be had, you just have to be there when they get it in. As has been stated before, be nice to your LGS staff and other ammo outlet workers. If you get on their good side, they'll give you the drop on when the next delivery is on the way. Despite this shortage, I've been able to arm up in everything but 22LR due in large part to my network of relationships with the store owners and staff. Make friends folks!

BSA1

April 19, 2013, 06:32 PM

Vector,

I would disagree about your comment that the shortages should have subsided by now. There may be many other shooters like me that are just waiting for the supply to improve and prices drop enough to start the shortage all over again when we start our buying.

CSG

April 19, 2013, 06:48 PM

My safe is full otherwise I'd be a buyer when things ease up. Think I'd better order a set of reloading dies for .223 though.

wrench

April 19, 2013, 09:52 PM

I heard a new one today. There's a limit of how many boxes you can get at one time at my local Gander Mtn. Sales guy says that guys will come in when they open, load up, and then prowl around the store stashing ammo here and there. Then buy their limit. Come back later, ammo is sold out, right? Except they've hidden ammo all over the store. They retrieve their stashed ammo, and get another limit.
Amazing, huh? Gander has to have their sales guys wander the store and return the ammo to it's normal spot when they can find it.

TheSaint

April 19, 2013, 09:53 PM

Walmart has all its ammo locked behind a glass display, so ammo stashing isn't possible.

BBQJOE

April 20, 2013, 12:55 AM

One thing is for sure.
With production ramped up as it supposedly is, if the people ever have to go to war, there must be an unimaginable amount of bullets across the country.

Ignition Override

April 20, 2013, 01:12 AM

The gun show last weekend had plenty of it. The prices seemed to attract few buyers.
The people who are buying ammo right now in order to Try to make a real profit are likely to get burned.

Hordes of new shooters who soon realize what happened this week in the US Senate will finally think about it, and realize that there is no reason to panic.

Some profit with speculation but many lose. Days ago Gunbroker had 30 pages of .22LR ammo. The first two pages had 0 bids on many entries (other than seller prices) and these pages will be the first to hit the deadlines, then be recycled for free. Zero bids, over and over....:D

jmace57

April 20, 2013, 07:47 AM

Ammo? They don't make that stuff anymore. Best work on becoming an expert crossbow shooter like me :)

(like me working on it not like me being the expert)
Yeah, but the IWB holsters are really uncomfortable!

Vector

April 20, 2013, 12:36 PM

Vector,

I would disagree about your comment that the shortages should have subsided by now. There may be many other shooters like me that are just waiting for the supply to improve and prices drop enough to start the shortage all over again when we start our buying.

Maybe shortage was not the best word since it implies none what so ever. I am talking about the ability to purchase anything at all vs. limited supplies. So when the shelves are still empty because none seems to be in the pipeline, why is the ramped up production not making it to the local stores shelves?

`

offcenter

April 20, 2013, 06:51 PM

I don't care what people want to call it. It has been about 5 years since I could walk into a local retail outlet and buy a choice of at least 1 each of 9mm, 40 s&w and 38 special. Sure I could go to a gun store and they would at least have hollow points but Walmart and Academy started having major holes in their inventory about 5 years ago in my part of the country. Now for 6 months I haven't seen any 22 on the shelves or anything else with regularity and since the first of the year the slots on the shelves that I check have just been empty. I get really tired of hearing about this "new" problem when I have been working my weekend shooting around the shortage for 5 years.

Dropped by a Walmart in NE georgia this afternoon. They have adopted a 1 box/person rule. First I've seen of that. However they did have 100 packs of 40 S&W and 20 rd boxes of Tula 7.62x39.

kgpcr

April 21, 2013, 11:47 PM

I was in my LGS and they had 130 or so boxes of .223 55grn FMJ Independence ammo along with 50 or so boxes of another brand for 11.99 a box. No one was scooping any up. Things do seem to be loosening up a bit but its going to take a while

788Ham

April 21, 2013, 11:59 PM

BBQJOE,
I'll have to second that! We used to have some pretty good LGS around that kept shelves stocked, maybe not full, but they had ammo. I quit even looking when they started the hoarding craze, just stay home and reload now.

offcenter

April 22, 2013, 11:29 PM

South Louisiana, USA

Alizard

April 23, 2013, 04:39 PM

Maybe shortage was not the best word since it implies none what so ever. I am talking about the ability to purchase anything at all vs. limited supplies. So when the shelves are still empty because none seems to be in the pipeline, why is the ramped up production not making it to the local stores shelves?

Becauser demand has increased so much due to the blind panic stampede that the "pipeline" can not possibly come close to filling the demand. The typical consumption scenario is that most shooters buy a couple of boxes of ammo a month when they go shooting. Now they all want to buy 5000 rounds to "stock up" and the production capacity can't possibly fill that.

There are also government contracts being filled which go to the head of the line but we have no way of knowing what % of total ammo output is being eaten up by that since they obviously are not going to admit to them.

Add to that the speculators scooping up ammo to scalp at high prices and that pretty much tells you where the ammo is going.

justice06rr

April 23, 2013, 10:44 PM

I am not sure I buy that explanation and I am no tinfoil hat guy.

By now, shortages should have subsided because most people do not buy ammo like they would perishable goods such as milk. So it is not like a steady amount is bought weekly by Joe Q.
Yet they claim to have increased production and we still see empty shelves

Sure gun shops and ranges need a regular supply, as does LE and the military. However the limited supplies have increased prices dramatically which has also reduce demand. I know there is no way I'm paying panic prices, so I among many others have reduced our consumption. Regardless, unless much of the ammo is going to TSA, FEMA, DHS, etc., it makes no sense the supply has not improved.

The reason you still see empty shelves is that demand is still very high--higher than already implemented increase in productions.

Combine the hoarders, preppers, new shooters, along with LE, and your normal shooters and the supply is never going to catch up until at least close to the end of 2013.

As a personal example I used to stock less than a couple of hundred rounds total last year with the guns I own. After Newton, I have a couple of thousand rounds. I'm not a prepper or gun nut by any means but I have increased my ammo stock about 10x

Prince Yamato

April 24, 2013, 12:05 AM

It's trickling in the local shops...

What we need is some Eastern European country to pick up the slack. I'd be shocked if Romania or Bulgaria wasn't tooling up to come to our relief (and make a huge profit).

Ignition Override

April 24, 2013, 12:44 AM

We have tons of it, on TN Armslist.

But you might need to pay these "free capitalists" $65 for a 555 Win. box, $125 for 500 Rem. "Thunderslugs", $250 for 4 x 525 boxes of Federal .22LR.

Only a rigged market allows some of them, or others to 'visit' unscrupulous Walmarts at 0700 while other people must go to work.
Even those of us who planned far ahead see it for what it is.

In contrast, the WalMart near us on Hwy 64 sets out their ammo at random times, in order to help create more of a free market.

Comrade Mike

April 24, 2013, 01:37 AM

I'm just doing my best to wait it out. Powder and primer are trickling back in slowly. 6.5 bullets are everywhere so ill just shoot my Swedish Mauser more.

I'm thankful I only have one .223 because I absolutely refuse to pay more than .35 a round at most for bulk 5.56.

The hoarders will run out of money and credit eventually.

I didn't think I could hate Lanza any more than I did, because of that <deleted> we have to live with all this for at least another year.

vkeith

April 24, 2013, 02:15 AM

I had a job across the street from the Sevierville Bass Pro Shops today, so I went in just to see what they had in stock. In pistol ammo, they had 7 boxes of .45 LC cowboy loads for almost $40 per 50, and 9 boxes .22 WMR birdshot. That was it: no other pistol ammo, period.

They did have various .270, 30-06, .300 Win Mag, 7mm, and several other less common calibers going for $1.50 per round and up. There was absolutely no .308, .223/5.56, or 7.62x39 available at any price.

There wasn't a single box of .22 LR available, either.

The good news is they did have plenty of shotgun rounds, but 12ga. 00 was nearly $1.00 a round and up.

I have never seen anything like this before. It's one thing to have to pay a little extra to be able to go out and shoot, but it's another thing entirely when you can't even buy a box of ammo to try out your new purchase from the big box sporting goods store.

I installed a Ghost Rocket in my G21 last week, and felt bad about shooting a box of once cheap UMC to try it out, because I can't even replace it at this point in time without paying quadruple what it cost me, if I can find any .45 ACP at all.

Oklacoyotekiller

April 24, 2013, 10:37 AM

Im begining to wonder if it will ever end. Seems like everything that comes out of dc starts the panic back up just when it seems to be dying down.:(

Chevelle SS

April 24, 2013, 10:42 AM

In my basement :D

Oklacoyotekiller

April 24, 2013, 10:48 AM

Can i come shop in your basement? :)

45_auto

April 24, 2013, 11:01 AM

Can i come shop in your basement?

Sure, you just have to pay my "Unpreparedness" tax on every round you buy.

It's currently 50 cents per round on rimfire ammo and a dollar per round on centerfire. ;)

Vector

April 24, 2013, 11:43 AM

Becauser demand has increased so much due to the blind panic stampede that the "pipeline" can not possibly come close to filling the demand. The typical consumption scenario is that most shooters buy a couple of boxes of ammo a month when they go shooting. Now they all want to buy 5000 rounds to "stock up" and the production capacity can't possibly fill that.

There are also government contracts being filled which go to the head of the line but we have no way of knowing what % of total ammo output is being eaten up by that since they obviously are not going to admit to them.

Add to that the speculators scooping up ammo to scalp at high prices and that pretty much tells you where the ammo is going.

Lets say your post explains away me wondering why the shelves stay completely empty despite increased production.
How do you explain why I and others here never get a whiff at a box or two of ammo, yet all these other people you cite for the shortages manage to buy every single box :confused:

Either the rest of us have the worst luck in the world, or these other folks must be camping out for days like they are waiting for concert tickets to buy everything before we can get there.

`

12many

April 24, 2013, 01:28 PM

I was in an LV, NV gun store yesterday and they had an AR15 Windham for $1250 and two AKs (don't know price . . . I don't buy commy guns:D) Also had 38 special, 17 HMR, 44 Mag, some long colt, lots of various rifle and shot shells. Guess what, they had 30-06. Good enough for grandpa . . .

No 9mm, 22, or .223. Said they had some yesterday but sold out.

It is getting better.

MAKster

April 24, 2013, 10:22 PM

I wonder if any of these people watch TV or read newspapers. The attempts to enact a new AWB, mag ban, universal background checks are DEAD. It's over people. We won. There is no reason to keep going to Walmart at 6 am to hoard ammo.

wideym

April 24, 2013, 11:30 PM

I'm getting a good laugh at the "speculars" now. Since the Senate fail to pass any new gun laws the panic is making noticeable signs of easing.

At the gunshop I work at, we've had several calls and walk in's since last week from those enterprising capitalists trying to sell us ammo. One joker called yesterday offering to sell us 550 round bulk pack .22lr. He asked me how much I would pay for 16 boxes, in which I asked him how much he wanted for them. As soon as he said "Well, at the gunshow they were going for..." I told him to come up with price and that we don't pay gunshow prices. We would rather be sold out than to gouge our customers like that.

bushmaster1313

April 25, 2013, 12:06 AM

I paid about $.60 a round for 5.56 the last couple of days. Scored 400 rounds or so with little effort. I will stay after it; good luck to you folks who try...

That's $12 for a box of 20 that should cost no more than $7

Ignition Override

April 25, 2013, 01:05 AM

wideym:
A few days ago there were thirty pages of .22LR on Gunbroker.
There now are thirty two pages.

About a third of the items on the first two pages still have 0 bids (closing within about 24 hours), other than the seller's bid.
From what you witnessed with sellers bringing .22 bricks into your shop, private sales might not be going so well right now.

Boxhead

April 25, 2013, 03:05 AM

In my garage.

Davek1977

April 25, 2013, 06:25 AM

offcenter said: I get really tired of hearing about this "new" problem when I have been working my weekend shooting around the shortage for 5 years. Well, in that case, it does seem like a localized issue. Other than than the expected rush after each of BO's elections and then the Sandy Hook incident, obtaining ammo in the calibers you described was not at all difficult fpr many of us. If it was different for you locally, why not shop online, and likely save some money? I KNOW for a FACT that ammo of various types in each of the calibers you mentioned have been available online in great and vast abundance over the last five years. Sometimes, you have to forgo the LGS, and take your money to the internet. If you haven't been able to get ammo in the last five YEARS (months, I could almost understand) its NO ONE's fault but your own. The ammo was there previously, you just apparently didn't look for it, and now you're feeling the results of that choice.

Bushmaster said:
That's $12 for a box of 20 that should cost no more than $7 Maybe so, but thats about a 40% improvement over the $1 a round it was commanding many places only days ago. While I expect prices to drop to realistic levels at some point, I think its nothing more than a dream to expect prices to drop to "pre-Obama" levels completely. You might want to hold on to that "$7 a box ammo" because I'm not sure they're making such a thing anymore ;)

Comrade Mike

April 25, 2013, 08:11 AM

offcenter said: Well, in that case, it does seem like a localized issue. Other than than the expected rush after each of BO's elections and then the Sandy Hook incident, obtaining ammo in the calibers you described was not at all difficult fpr many of us. If it was different for you locally, why not shop online, and likely save some money? I KNOW for a FACT that ammo of various types in each of the calibers you mentioned have been available online in great and vast abundance over the last five years. Sometimes, you have to forgo the LGS, and take your money to the internet. If you haven't been able to get ammo in the last five YEARS (months, I could almost understand) its NO ONE's fault but your own. The ammo was there previously, you just apparently didn't look for it, and now you're feeling the results of that choice.

Bushmaster said:
Maybe so, but thats about a 40% improvement over the $1 a round it was commanding many places only days ago. While I expect prices to drop to realistic levels at some point, I think its nothing more than a dream to expect prices to drop to "pre-Obama" levels completely. You might want to hold on to that "$7 a box ammo" because I'm not sure they're making such a thing anymore ;)

I don't see it as unreasonable to see 5 dollar boxes of federal and WWB .223 again as long as there's nothing more to fuel the panics. Prices have to dip back down again when suppliers inevitably over produce to fill a shrinking demand.

feedthehogs

April 25, 2013, 08:36 AM

Loser in chief could very well use eo to ban imports including ammo.
Whether it will happen or not is a betting mans game. He seems to be back focused on his health care right now but who knows.

As an instructor who deals exclusively with the top 5% of wage earners I can tell you they have had no problem buying .223 or any caliber ammo at 2 bucks a round. When you have extreme disposable income, prices very rarely enter into it.

Had dinner last night with a client who's wife found 6 new gun safes in one of their climate controlled garages. They were full of about 50 to 60k of ammo. She flipped but them calmed down when he showed her what he paid for it and what its worth now.

She commented thats a better return than what many of their investments were doing and went away smiling. We had a good chuckle.

45_auto

April 25, 2013, 08:51 AM

As an instructor who deals exclusively with the top 5% of wage earners

You really find people willing to show you proof of income before you'll give them instruction, and you turn down anyone who makes less than $160,000?

For some reason an old quote concerning "fools and their money" comes to mind .....

Queen_of_Thunder

April 25, 2013, 09:14 AM

This mess went full bore in mid December. Here it is just days aeay from the month of May and things have gotten only worse. The manufactures say they are running at full capacity but distributors say they are not getting ammo. So where is the ammo going?

As we enter the 5th month of this mess I'm questioning the supply and demand answer. I'm begining to wonder if this isn't an artifically generated shortage? At least in some manner.

Comrade Mike

April 25, 2013, 09:21 AM

It's also never been THIS bad before. With the last Obama panic ammo was scarce but it was at least still on shelves. This is the worst panic we've seen in the 2000's so it's definitely going to take longer.

12many

April 25, 2013, 12:26 PM

So I showed up at 6am and waited 2 hours for the store to open. Was worth the wait.

Bulk 1,000round boxes of UMC 9mm for $239.99. I bought.

Winchester M-22 1,000 rounds for $45.99. I bought.

Winchester 100 rd value pack of 230gr ACP $45.99

Monarch 45acp 230 grain $18.99

Nato 124gr 9mm 50 rd box for $15.99

Queen of Thunder, you posted on April 15 that you scored and got 2,000 rounds at great prices and there was other ammo on the shelves at good prices. Yes, you had to wait, but sound like you did ok. Is it getting better or worse?

Potatohead

April 25, 2013, 06:40 PM

ive been shooting 3 or 4 mos for the first time ever...and ive been gobbling up ammo like theirs no tmrw..3 guns and 3500 rds so far...i know theres a bunch of me's out there to because when i was buying my first one (AR15), half of the people in there were a me...first time gun buyers in a bit of a panic.

I just finished an article in the May 6th edition of Gun Digest entitled "Where Is All The Ammo?". They conclude after many industry interviews that it will be at least 1 and perhaps 2 years before things begin to improve on dealer shelves. Especially for .223/5.56, 9mm and AR platform guns. I speculate that things will be even worse in gun hostile states like California and New York. Best learn to buy on the internet while it's still legal, me thinketh.

If you read that article you will see that the manufacturers interviewed state that they have increased their production and are still shipping that extra ammo to all the distribution guys as fast as they can make it. You black helicopter/conspiracy dudes better take a deep breath...(sorry)
__________________
Gary

With you residing in all restrictive Cali, you had best get a large O2 container to take your deep breath from.

offcenter

April 27, 2013, 12:51 AM

Well, I still didn't bother to go out of my way. I could pick up one or two boxes every month if I went to WalMart twice or more a week. I would just rotate through the different calibers as they were available and that way I could still shoot. I did not start ordering online and paying premiums until this fall.

Davek1977

April 27, 2013, 01:12 AM

I guess I don't understand...for five years, you've noticed local outlets with "vast holes in their inventory"......and it took you til last fall to consider other possibilities? What is it they say...a failure to plan is a plan for failure? I don't meant to be harsh, but if I started to realize I couldn't get what I wanted locally.....I'd look elsewhere instead of just "making do" for 4.5 years, and then being shocked I suddenly couldn't find "any" ammo.

Ignition Override

April 27, 2013, 05:09 AM

Davek1977:
With the string of massacres which began in Tucson, if not Virginia Tech, some of were concerned that it was only a matter of time until the truly unthinkable could happen.
Few people out there could do anything about the nuts at large-unless a relative or a friend-but we knew about the predictable reactions which can't ever be doubted.

Davek1977

April 27, 2013, 05:47 AM

Ignition Overdrive, maybe its this early hour, but I have NO IDEA what you are saying in the above post. Are you simply agreeing with me that there were warning signs of this sort of thing happening (shortages)? Please clarify...I'm not trying to be insulting, I truly don't understand the jist of what you are trying to say.

Queen_of_Thunder

April 27, 2013, 08:26 AM

I guess I don't understand...for five years, you've noticed local outlets with "vast holes in their inventory"......and it took you til last fall to consider other possibilities? What is it they say...a failure to plan is a plan for failure? I don't meant to be harsh, but if I started to realize I couldn't get what I wanted locally.....I'd look elsewhere instead of just "making do" for 4.5 years, and then being shocked I suddenly couldn't find "any" ammo.
I never saw this. Never had a problem securing the ammo I needed until this crises. I ran through 2 cases a month in 9mm alone yet I never had a problem with buying it. Go online,place the order and a few days later the UPS guy is knocking on my door with my ammo order. Everything was available. No hole in inventory. Finding and buying something like 9x18 ultra was easy. Now I can't find it anywhere.

Crash_Test_Dhimmi

April 27, 2013, 08:43 AM

Obama can executive order (or under the radar it) the health and human services (Kathleen Sebelius) to declare that owning weapons is a sign of a serious and violent mental health disorder that would flag all gun owners in NICS. Are you a veteran? oh there is a disease for that one too!

Al Thompson

April 27, 2013, 09:07 AM

Looks like this one is done. :rolleyes:

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